My Little Ponies

Last weekend I went to North Carolina to visit family. While there, we went hiking at Grayson Highlands State park in Virginia (the Web site doesn't do it justice). I was ambivalent about going because it was a 45 minute drive and I was sick of being in the car, but once I got there I changed my tune entirely. I can sum up the awesomeness of this park in two words: wild ponies. Yes, you heard me, wild ponies. Once you enter the gate, you never know where the ponies may show up.

Most of the ponies we met were pretty friendly too. This little guy followed us for awhile, probably hoping for handouts. Seriously, how cool is it to hang out with wild ponies?

The hiking wasn't bad either, but bring a jacket and decent shoes. It gets chilly quick and the trails are rocky.

This place must be a big hit with kids (and kids at heart); it would have been my dream destination in my pony-lovin' youth.

Pink Garden Pom-Poms

My pretty pink peony poppies did not show up in time for my Pink Parade for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, they wanted to make an entrance. And what an entrance it is.

Their stems may be wild and twisted (I wonder if they always grow like this, since this is my first experience with them?), but their blooms are gorgeous pink puffballs that make me smile.

Like so many of my flowers, these poppies were winter-sown and oh, so worth the effort.

Kitchen Island inspiration for Tight Spaces

(image: Anastasia Faiella)

I love Anastasia Faiella's renovated kitchen, which was recently profiled on Apartment Therapy. But the most inspiring piece for me is the movable island. I haven't seen one that looks this great and is still on casters. It's definitely something I'm going to keep in mind for my own kitchen reno, where I'll be losing some counter space to make room for a bigger dining table. Something like this just might fit though.

Visit AT to see the dramatic before and afters.

The Neverending Summer To-Do List

Restoring nine windows is just one
of the projects on my to-do list.

Thanks to a job change, I'm lucky enough to have some extended time off this summer for traveling and hopefully tackling some of the things on my never-ending to-do list.

This brings up a topic I struggle with almost every weekend, do I spend free time doing projects, planning for proiects, relaxing and having fun or trying to squeeze in all three? I'm not good at balance; instead I have a bad habit of becoming singularly focused on big projects and work myself ragged until it's done. All of which makes for a very unfun and tiring vacation, weekend, etc. Then I'm not able to find the motivation to do another project for a long time.

This time, I'd really like to strike a balance between getting things done, and still having fun even when I'm home. Anyone who has tips on how to do that, please share! So far I'm thinking: take some time off during the day to do things I don't have time to do when I'm working (eating some breakfasts and lunches out, making a nice lunch for the Boy and I, going to a movie during the day, going swimming, etc.).

But without further ado, here's my list. I'm sure there's still more on it than I can possibly accomplish, even though we've started a few things already and even finished one or two.

Inside:

• Pick out a new AC
  
• Fix living room walls and repaint (Done!, but it almost killed me)


• Fix bedroom ceiling and paint
  
• Finish patch in kitchen
  
• Touch-up bathroom paint and paint window
  
• Patch and paint bathroom door
  
• Hem bedroom curtains
  
• Frame and hang art in living room
  

Outside

• Stain deck, see it here!
  
• Paint/restore three or four windows and storms (two will have to do)
  
• Paint front door and shutters (Done!)
  
• Paint awnings (or at least fix the horrid rusty one!)
  
• Paint garage doors
  
• Remove hideous bushes by driveway(done! thanks to the Boy)
  
• Patch and seal driveway (The Boy said he'd do this one on his break, yay!)
  

I've Been Deprived

As the boy will be the first to tell you, I'm no chef. I've never loved cooking; I only do it to save money and eat healthier. Lately, however I'm trying new recipes and liking the results (usually). The other day I was faced with too many blueberries and no desire to eat them, I saw a blueberry recipe and it hit me, make blueberry crisp!


So, using this recipe, that's exactly what I did, I made my first crisp. And let me tell you fellow non-chefs, sisters who hate to cook, it was so simple to make and yet it tastes devine. It's also an easy way to please a dessert-loving man. My crisp didn't live through the night, we gobbled it up so fast. What I'm saying is, crisps are the new black. You heard it here first.

My first bite of blueberry crisp was delicious. I suddenly felt several things, pride, satisfaction and great sadness. What, sadness you say? Yup, I was totally bummed. Why? Because I've wasted 30 years of my life not eating crisps. What kind of crap is that?

In fact, the only reason I thought to make a crisp and knew it's wonders was because last year Jared's sister made a tasty apple crisp while we were visiting. Without her, I'd still be clueless to this day. And you know who I blame for this don't you? That's right, I blame my mother.

I mean come on, how could she deprive me of this quick, easy and extremely tasty dessert? It's even healthy, what with all the fruit and all. Crisps are like a mother's dream. Sure, she was a bit busy what with holding down a full-time job, raising me (but I was a dream child, or so I've been told), going to school and taking care of the house. But still, crisps are so quick and easy, even the most busy of moms can squeeze them in. I demand an explanation!

Parents of the world, let this be a lesson to you, don't deprive your kids of an important experience, bake a crisp today!

Disclaimer: I take no responsibility for the state crisps may have on your waistlines. Proceed with caution and only make them when there's a big group around to minimize temptation.

A Pink Parade for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day

My little city garden is overflowing with pretty pink blooms this month, and I couldn't be more delighted. Come on in, let me show you around.

There are zinnias galore in several shades of pink, coneflowers, poppies and gladiolas, just to name a few.

Other blooms in my garden:

• Balloon flower
• Brown-Eyed Susans
• Cerinthe
• Cleome
  
• Coreopsis
• Cosmos
  
• Dianthus
• Daisies
• Liatris
  
• Nasturiums
• Petunias
  
• Roses
• Scabiosa
• Verbena

And most of them were winter-sown!

Want to see more blooms? Visit May Dreams Gardens every month on the 15th to see what's blooming in gardens around the world.

Getting Organized 15 Minutes at a Time

Though most of my clutter is carefully hidden away, lately I've been feeling a bit squished in my little house because there's TOO MUCH STUFF! As is my typical way, I first blamed the boyfriend. Afterall, I didn't feel so squished before he got here. But then he reminded me that 99% of his stuff is contained in one single room, manland. He's got me there. It's my crap that's out of control.

I couldn't find the time to fit in a massive organizing session, so I've been finally taking some of great organizing advice to start small and keep at it. In just four short sessions of around 15 minutes I've already tackled my over-flowing coffee table drawer (shown below after being attacked), bathroom storage cabinets and closet. I forgot to take a before of the coffee table drawer, but trust me, you couldn't fit another thing in there when I started.

If I don't love it and use it, it's out of here! And if you need to declutter, try just working on it a few minutes at a time, you might be surprised how much you can accomplish.